Numbers 16 · Verse 4

Numbers 16:4

And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
Numbers 16:4, King James Version

Numbers 16:4 in other translations

BSBWhen Moses heard this, he fell facedown.
WEBWhen Moses heard it, he fell on his face.
ASVAnd when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
YLTAnd Moses heareth, and falleth on his face,
DARBYWhen Moses heard this, he fell on his face.
BBEAnd Moses, hearing this, went down on his face;
WebsterAnd when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

What does Numbers 16:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face--This attitude of prostration indicated not only his humble and earnest desire that God would interpose to free him from the false and odious imputation, but also his strong sense of the daring sin involved in this proceeding. Whatever feelings may be entertained respecting Aaron, who had formerly headed a sedition himself [Nu 12:1], it is impossible not to sympathize with Moses in this difficult emergency. But he was a devout man, and the prudential course he adopted was probably the dictate of that heavenly wisdom with which, in answer to his prayers, he was endowed.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 16:1-11

Pride and ambition occasion a great deal of mischief both in churches and states. The rebels quarrel with the settlement of the priesthood upon Aaron and his family. Small reason they had to boast of the people's purity, or of God's favour, as the people had been so often and so lately polluted with sin, and were now under the marks of God's displeasure. They unjustly charge Moses and Aaron with taking honour to…

Read the full comment on Numbers 16:1-11 →

Numbers 16:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣עvai.yish.Ma'and he heardH8085
מֹשֶׁ֔הmo.ShehMosesH4872
וַיִּפֹּ֖לvai.yi.Poland he fellH5307
עַל\־'al-onH5921
פָּנָֽיו\׃pa.Navface hisH6440

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 16:4

  • Numbers 14:5

    Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

  • Numbers 20:6

    And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.

  • Numbers 16:45

    Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

  • Joshua 7:6

    And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
45; 14:5; 20:6; Jos 7:6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 16:3

    And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?

  • Numbers 16:4

    And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

  • Numbers 16:5

    And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

Read all of Numbers 16

Numbers 16:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y como lo oyó Moisés, echóse sobre su rostro;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Moïse l’entendit, et tomba sur sa face;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als Mose es hörte, fiel er auf sein Angesicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quod cum audisset Moyses, cecidit pronus in faciem: